CHAI-SPICED CHEESECAKE WITH GINGER CRUST

Chai-Spiced Cheesecake with Ginger Crust image

Categories Cake Dairy Egg Ginger Dessert Bake Cream Cheese Spice Bon Appétit Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher

Yield Makes 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

Ingredients

Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger
Filling
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese)
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping
1 1/3 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps:

For crust:
Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Sift flour, ginger, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Beat in egg yolk, then flour mixture. Stir in crystallized ginger. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Roll out on floured surface to 9-inch round. Transfer to prepared pan. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan; pierce all over with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.
For filling:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add mascarpone; beat until smooth. Beat in whole eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in yolks. Add next 6 ingredients; beat until blended. Transfer filling to cooled crust in pan; smooth top. Bake cake 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F. Continue baking until cake is set around edges but center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken (top of cake may crack), about 30 minutes longer. Remove cake from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.
For topping:
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl; spread evenly over top of cake. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake sides. Chill uncovered overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Cut into wedges and serve.